Most value for money A8 ever?

[bimmer528]

I am in the market for an A8, best being diesel so 3tdi or 4tdi, however at 43,000 miles, surely this has go to be the best value, or could there be something wrong?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2951364.htm

Seems too good to be true.

PS my top end to spend is £9k so this falls £500 short which would be very ideal.

[edo]

I smell a rat.

[Dr G]

I don't, it's old, it drinks like there's no tomorrow, boring colour combination, every man and his dog are trying to sell their guzzlers at the moment and you'll need a grand for a cam belt.

[bimmer528]

I thought about the cambelt, but at 43,000, isn't that due at like 60-70k? i do roughly 5000 miles a year which isn't really loads. I'd still prefer the 4tdi however.

[Uhura fighter]

edo said:

I smell a rat.

Odd for a car like that not to have many miles but the price doesn't look to far off imo.

[chrisispringles]

If you only do 5k a year you would be better off with the petrol; the difference in fuel costs will be marginal, but if the diesel lunches its turbo or the injectors go wrong then it would cost you a lot more to put right.

[zakelwe]

How about this instead

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

[tercelgold]

Depreciation on these big Audis is epic. 2004, under 100K miles FSH etc is under £7K now

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Almost cheap enough to cover the running costs.

[Bill]

Dr G said:

I don't, it's old, it drinks like there's no tomorrow, boring colour combination, every man and his dog are trying to sell their guzzlers at the moment and you'll need a grand for a cam belt.

But it is (AFAIK) only a remap away from S8 power...

[Zwoelf]

bimmer528 said:

I thought about the cambelt, but at 43,000, isn't that due at like 60-70k? i do roughly 5000 miles a year which isn't really loads. I'd still prefer the 4tdi however.

Cambelts are usually mileage OR time stipulated for replacement as rubber deteriorates even when doing nothing. The longest intervals I'm aware of for belts are 108k/10 years for some Volvos, but many are five years/80k miles so I'd definitely be budgeting for it needing doing in my overall purchase decision for such a car - particularly with the potential cost of replacing that engine if the belt fails...

Given Audi's habit of mounting engines just behind the headlamp washers, I gather A8s need most of the front end dismantling to do the change, hence the labour cost. £2.5k not unheard of for a main dealer doing it.

[Zwoelf]

Bill said:

But it is (AFAIK) only a remap away from S8 power...

The 4.2 V8 in the D3 A8 basically IS the S8 engine from the D2 A8.

I don't think you'll be looking at a near 100bhp increase to D3 S8 (5.2 V10) power by remapping a normally aspirated engine somehow.

[Bill]

Zwoelf said:

The 4.2 V8 in the D3 A8 basically IS the S8 engine from the D2 A8.

I don't think you'll be looking at a near 100bhp increase to D3 S8 (5.2 V10) power by remapping a normally aspirated engine somehow.

You'll have to forgive me not knowing the relevant model designations, particularly as I didn't know the S8 from that era was a V10, but is the D3 A8 V8 in the same state of tune as the D2 S8?

[angusc43]

bimmer528 said:

I am in the market for an A8, best being diesel so 3tdi or 4tdi, however at 43,000 miles, surely this has go to be the best value, or could there be something wrong?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2951364.htm

Seems too good to be true.

Seems like a reasonable price - assuming you can get a belt done for £1k-ish. E500 saloons of that age are going for a similar amount. (E's have chains btw so one less worry).

If you only do 5k a year I think it makes perfect sense.

I've been driving petrol V8's since 2003 and have no plan to change any time soon.

[Zwoelf]

D2 S8s were 340-360PS, the D3 4.2Q is rated at 340-350PS retuned slightly to increase torque slightly at the cost of a commensurate amount of top end power - to maintain acceleration in light of the increased vehicle weight and to reduce slightly the "sportier" (i.e. similarly torquey but revvier) nature of the preceding S8 vs. a "standard" A8. The reduction in power didn't negatively affect the top end as they all roll out with a 155 limiter in place and both still have some in reserve at that particular point...

[jason s4]

The 4.2 V8 is chain and not belt.

And the chain is by the firewall, so engine out to replace. £$£$£$£$£

Edited by jason s4 on Thursday 23 June 18:11

[Zwoelf]

jason s4 said:

The 4.2 V8 is chain and not belt.

I think you'll find the only timing chain is between the camshafts on each bank. From the crank to the heads is belt-driven as far as I've ever known.

[Efbe]

quite obviously clocked tbh.

[Efbe]

doogz said:

What are you basing that on?

I ask, as my OH's old man has an A8, that's 4 or 5 years old now, and has done about 10k miles.

may just be the pic, but the steering wheel looks to be a bit worn.

I also bet your old man wouldn't be selling it for this amount too!

[Fort Jefferson]

jason s4 said:

The 4.2 V8 is chain and not belt.

Only in the S4, RS4, R8.

[R12HCO]

Bill said:

But it is (AFAIK) only a remap away from S8 power...

No.